Victoria’s Scottish Lion

by Greenwood, Adrian; Haythornthwaite, Philip;

  On 30 December news arrived that Beni Madho and the Nana Sahib had been sighted near Bankee. At six o’clock that evening Campbell ordered the troops to prepare for a night march to catch them. The attempt was ‘esteemed hopeless by those most conversant with Indian warfare’, wrote Russell. ‘The enemy were twenty three miles away, the nights were pitch dark, there were no roads whatever, the guides were not to be depended upon, the rebels would be informed the moment we stirred’,251 but Campbell was not discouraged. He gathered 150 elephants to carry the men in rotation, so they would not arrive exhausted.

  ‘We had a miserable cold, damp march through perfect darkness until 4 am,’ wrote Norman, ‘and consequently pulled up till daylight.’ They were in time. Enemy pickets were visible. Campbell ordered horse artillery to the front, and cavalry on each flank, while the infantry followed in support. The rebels decided on a tactical retreat. ‘The enemy succeeded in discharging a gun and wounding some of the troopers,’ wrote Norman, ‘but the appearance of two companies of the Rifle Brigade was enough to make them continue their flight.’252 The hussars chased them into the Raptee River. Soon the water was full of ‘men and horses swimming for their lives’ and ‘fierce hand-to-hand conflicts between sowars and hussars in the foaming water’, reported Russell, ‘but the river was our most formidable foe’.253 Worn out, the cavalry pulled back, leaving the rebels to flee into the Himalayan foothills.

  Bankee was the last battle. ‘The Campaign is at an end’, Campbell declared. ‘There is no longer even the vestige of rebellion in the Province of Oudh, and the last remnant of the mutineers and insurgents has been hopelessly driven across the mountains.’

  These results have been attained … by not committing the troops to a forward movement until I should be ready to support it on every side, and so to convert a march into a thorough process of occupation, as was done in the Doab last year, after the battle of Cawnpore.254

  For the queen the news was ‘Most important and useful, and a great blessing at this moment … Albert is quite delighted with it.’ ‘It is with no small pride and satisfaction I can say to you that the last day of 1858 crowned Lord Canning’s policy with the most complete success’, Campbell told Lady Canning. ‘The rebels have all either surrendered or are fled hopeless exiles to the mountains of Nepaul. Hundreds of forts are destroyed, hundreds of thousands of arms are given up, and the civil officers have now free scope for the performance of their duties.’255 And this had all been achieved with a paltry eighteen killed and eighty-four wounded since 2 November.

  Naturally, Campbell had his detractors. ‘No one will be inclined to dispute the thoroughness of Lord Clyde’s work in this final winter campaign, and his subjugation of Oudh’, wrote General Innes:

  But the strength of the forces now at his disposal was enormous, and the consequent facilities for carrying his work into effect made the task easy. There was no such skill or hardihood, no such generalship involved, no such dread inspired in the enemy as had enabled Havelock to confront the armies of Oudh.256

  But what Campbell had achieved was far harder than inspiring dread or confronting an army.

  Notes

  * Some have criticised Campbell for not requesting the siege train from Agra sooner, but in Agra it was well placed for the pacification of Rohilcund, so of course he did not move it until Lucknow was confirmed as the primary target. As for the Shannon’s big guns, only now had suitable carriage been procured, following the capture of the gun carriage factory at Futtehghur (Rowbotham, 10–13).

  * While he praised Campbell’s restrictions on baggage, it took five days’ worth of bullock wagons to transport Canning, his entourage, and luggage to Allahabad (Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 17, 23–4). He was used to 300–400 servants at Government House in Calcutta (Hurd, 108).

  ** A second Crimean colleague, Colonel Sterling, arrived to act as Campbell’s military secretary after Alison was invalided home. Having adopted an eccentric pair of huge ‘coloured spectacles’, he was nicknamed ‘Old Gig-lamps’. Campbell’s staff had suffered considerable losses and, unusually for the time, he took on Colonel Metcalfe, the Anglo-Indian son of Lord Metcalfe and a Rajpoot princess (Maclagan, Clemency Canning, 255).

  * Estimates varied widely. Captain Orr of the Intelligence Department put the figure at 120,000, of which around 55,000 were nujeebs and 20,000 bondsmen of talookdars.

  ** Indian soldiers loyal to a native rajah or landowner.

  * The Nawab of Oudh had an obsession with chandeliers. Upon entering the Imambarra, one English traveller mistook it for ‘a manufactory of chandeliers’ (Taylor, 111).

  * Confusingly, the 42nd was commanded by a Lieutenant-Colonel Cameron, but a different Cameron from the one in charge in the Crimea.

  ** See the excellent map at the back of Forrest, Selections, II, sadly too large and detailed to reproduce here.

  * The Highlanders claimed that Jung Bahadoor was so impressed he tried to buy the regiment (Forbes-Mitchell, 220).

  * For a statistical refutation of this claim see Appendix A.

  ** Yet, writing forty years later, Roberts changed his mind and claimed that these rebels regrouped to harry the British well into 1859.

  * John Delane, editor of The Times, attributed this to Russell’s letters condemning British atrocities, though, as in the Crimea, that may be overstating the power of the press.

  * The fort near the Residency Lawrence had originally occupied in June, and then abandoned to the rebels.

  ** Campbell’s ADC, Major James Dormer, suggested telegraphing Nunc fortunatus sum or ‘I am in luck, now’ (Wolseley, Story of a Soldier’s Life, I, 341).

  * Merely a taste of this nineteen-verse epic.

  ** Upon realising that this was a title of the Duke of Hamilton, he swung back in favour of Lucknow, but Lord Derby had by then announced his elevation as Lord Clyde of Clydesdale.

  * It was awarded 182 times in the Second World War, but Charles Upham got it twice.

  * Loot was distributed on the basis of the Queen’s Proclamation of 11 August 1854 (PP.H/C.East India (Prize Property), 1860, Vol.L, 439). As mementos Campbell took a stuffed bird, which he later gave to Lady Canning’s aunt, two oil paintings from the throne room of the Kaiserbagh, and four black swans, which he presented to Lady Canning (Hare, III, 137; Lee-Warner, Memoirs, 202; Llewellyn-Jones, 137). They weren’t the only live plunder. A tame rhinoceros ‘reputed to be a hundred years old’ was taken prize by the 53rd.

  ** For example, Acting Commissary-General James Graham alone had 15,000 natives under his charge and approximately as many animals (Harrison, 90).

  *** Prize agents were appointed by ballot from among the officers. Lieutenant McBean of the 93rd was offered the role of overseeing them, but refused, and a Mr Chalmers of the Indian Commissariat Department took over instead (Gordon-Alexander, 284).

  **** This compares to nearly thirty-four lakhs of rupees from Delhi (PP.H/C.East India (Prize Property), 1860, Vol.L, 421). After cash, the largest portion of the Lucknow prize came from the sale of ‘shawls, dresses, etc’. Despite the haphazard nature of the collection of the spoils, the return reads rather like a solicitor’s bill, including five rupees logged for postage.

  * The same Penny who had commanded Campbell’s reserve brigade at Chillianwala.

  ** Khan was already bent on a guerrilla war, exhorting his men to confound British ‘communications, stop their supplies, cut up their daks and post, and keep constantly hanging about their camps: give them no rest’ (Martin, R.M., The Indian Empire, VIII, 492).

  * Although Canning described her as ‘Not pretty, and marked with smallpox, but [with] beautiful eyes and figure’ (Maclagan, Clemency Canning, 220), most British sources described her as gorgeously exotic. However, most nineteenth-century British officers would have you believe all ranees were pouting nymphomaniacs. Most British memsahibs described them in similar terms, for rather different reasons. The ranee’s guilt in the massacre is a matter of doubt.

  ** So vi
gorous was he, Canning seriously considered his supersession.

  * The one deviation from the master plan was when Hamilton overruled orders from Canning and Campbell to head for Chirkaree before investing Jhansi.

  * When the publisher received Havelock’s manuscript promoting his panacea, he must have had to wipe the spittle off every page. At least a quarter of this tirade is in italics or CAPITALS, and when the author gets really upset, ITALICISED CAPITALS.

  ** The same criticism levelled at ‘sepoy general’ Sir Arthur Wellesley before he landed in Portugal.

  * Campbell had made sure his troops’ hospital facilities were so good that when Florence Nightingale offered to ‘start at 24 hours’ notice’ for India, Lady Canning told her not to bother (RA/VIC/MAIN/Z/502/34 and 24).

  1 Bengal Hurkaru, 20 February 1858.

  2 Gordon-Alexander, 221.

  3 Roberts, F., Forty-One Years in India, I, 387.

  4 Burne, 79.

  5 Chalmers, 136.

  6 Maclagan, Clemency Canning, 187; BL/Mss.Eur.Photo.Eur.474 (20 Feb 1858).

  7 BL.Mss.Eur.Photo.Eur.474 (20 Feb 1858); Maclagan, Clemency Canning, 180.

  8 Lugard, 6.

  9 Sen, 238; Forrest, A History of the Indian Mutiny, II, 303.

  10 Jones, O., 120.

  11 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 30, 64.

  12 Russell, My Diary in India, I, 170.

  13 The Times, 15 August 1863.

  14 Majendie, 140.

  15 Birmingham Daily Post, 6 September 1858.

  16 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 259.

  17 Forrest, Selections, III, App. F, ii.

  18 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 71.

  19 Forrest, Selections, III, 465.

  20 Forrest, Selections, III, 471.

  21 Goldsmid, II, 320.

  22 Forrest, Selections, III, App. F, ii.

  23 Napier, H.D., 100, 326.

  24 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 74.

  25 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 57, 62.

  26 Brooks, J., 161.

  27 Chalmers, 150.

  28 Forrest, Selections, III, App. F. v; Chalmers, 140.

  29 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 75–6.

  30 Jones, O., 163.

  31 Jones, O., 163.

  32 Gordon-Alexander, 233.

  33 Jocelyn, Mutiny, 281.

  34 Rizvi and Bhargava, II, 315.

  35 Forrest, Selections, III, 468.

  36 Vibart, E., 185.

  37 Chalmers, 152.

  38 Forrest, Selections, III, 479.

  39 Lang, 162.

  40 Forrest, Selections, III, 468.

  41 Forrest, Selections, III, 480; Jocelyn, Mutiny, 288.

  42 Lang, 162–3.

  43 Rizvi and Bhargava, II, 316–17.

  44 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 89.

  45 Roberts, F., Forty-One Years in India, I, 402.

  46 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 91.

  47 Maude and Sherer, II, 421; Knollys, I, 344.

  48 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 92.

  49 Bombay Times 24 March 1858.

  50 Lang, 163.

  51 Forbes-Mitchell, 210.

  52 NLS/MS.2234.

  53 Maude and Sherer, II, 467.

  54 Forrest, Selections, III, 470.

  55 Jocelyn, Mutiny, 286.

  56 Fortescue, XIII, 341.

  57 Jones, O., 171, 169.

  58 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 96.

  59 Forrest, Selections, III, 471.

  60 Hare, II, 469.

  61 Majendie, 212.

  62 Jocelyn, Mutiny, 292.

  63 Roberts, F., Forty-One Years in India, I, 406.

  64 Malleson, II, 414.

  65 Watson, 90.

  66 Wood, Revolt in Hindustan, 276.

  67 Dodd, Indian Revolt, 422.

  68 Mackenzie, A.R.D., 193.

  69 Jones, O., 167.

  70 Roberts, F., Forty-One Years in India, I, 372.

  71 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 77, 39, 95.

  72 Rizvi and Bhargava, II, 368.

  73 Roberts, F., Letters, 146.

  74 Majendie, 195.

  75 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 87.

  76 Williams, E.A., Cruise, 252.

  77 Allen, 335.

  78 Forbes-Mitchell, 256.

  79 Russell, My Diary in India, I, 221.

  80 Majendie, 222.

  81 Bombay Times, 20 February 1858.

  82 Malleson, II, 397.

  83 Fortescue, XIII, 346.

  84 Llewellyn-Jones, 160.

  85 Metcalfe, C.T., 71.

  86 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 110.

  87 Lee-Warner, Memoirs, 193.

  88 Raikes, 121.

  89 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 133.

  90 Majendie, 196.

  91 Knollys, I, 329, 346.

  92 Leicester Chronicle, 7 April 1858.

  93 Majendie, 292.

  94 RA/VIC/MAIN/QVJ(W).5/5/58.

  95 Hansard/HL/Deb. 15/2/1858. Vol. 148 cc. 1360-4.

  96 Forbes-Mitchell, 20.

  97 Gordon-Alexander, 37–9.

  98 Ewart, II, 53.

  99 Russell, My Diary in India, I, 335.

  100 Majendie, 230.

  101 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 111.

  102 Pearson, 98.

  103 Verney, E., 117.

  104 Forrest, Selections, III, 482, 471.

  105 Forrest, Selections, III, 463.

  106 Chalmers, 154.

  107 Mackay, II, 456.

  108 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 110.

  109 The Times, 9 April 1858.

  110 Shadwell, II, 267.

  111 Barker, 116.

  112 Mackenzie, A.R.D., 195.

  113 Gordon-Alexander, 277.

  114 Glasgow Herald, 9 April 1858.

  115 Caledonian Mercury, 10 April 1858.

  116 Huddersfield Chronicle, 10 April 1858.

  117 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 154.

  118 Duff, 254.

  119 Forrest, Selections, III, 549–51.

  120 Verner, I, 186.

  121 Cheshire Observer, 10 April 1858.

  122 RA/VIC/MAIN/QVJ(W).25/4/58.

  123 Verner, I, 217.

  124 Shadwell, II, 322.

  125 Knollys, I, 331.

  126 Maude and Sherer, II, 461.

  127 Baldwin, 59.

  128 Martin, R.M., The Indian Empire, VIII, 495.

  129 Russell, My Diary in India, I, 218.

  130 Goldsmid, II, 301.

  131 Knollys, I, 349; Wood, Revolt in Hindustan, 280.

  132 PP.H/C.East India, 1857-58, Vol.XLII.653.

  133 NLS/MS.2234, 1 March 1858.

  134 Stannus, 12.

  135 Maude and Sherer, II, 333.

  136 Danvers, 135.

  137 Outram, Our Indian Army, 5.

  138 Baldwin, 50.

  139 Majendie, 244.

  140 Brasyer, 58.

  141 Danvers, 136.

  142 Verney, E., 110.

  143 Majendie, 202.

  144 Maude and Sherer, II, 460.

  145 Gordon-Alexander, 285.

  146 Harris, James 63.

  147 Bombay Times, 27 January 1858.

  148 Gordon-Alexander, 285.

  149 Wolseley, Narrative, 224.

  150 Harrison, 101.

  151 Forbes-Mitchell, 221.

  152 Verney, E., 120.

  153 Martin, R.M., The Indian Empire, VIII, 482.

  154 Gordon-Alexander, 286.

  155 Forbes-Mitchell, 228.

  156 PP.H/C.East India (Prize Property), 1860, Vol.L.407.

  157 Maude and Sherer, II, 457.

  158 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 123.

  159 Glasgow Herald, 18 August 1858.

  160 Maclagan, Clemency Canning, 208.

  161 Rizvi and Bhargava, II, 328, 356.

  162 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 113–16.

  163 Rizvi and Bhargava, II, 333.

&nbs
p; 164 Rizvi and Bhargava, II, 339, 422.

  165 Russell, My Diary in India, I, 179.

  166 RA/VIC/ADDE/1/993.

  167 Williams, E.A. Cruise, 187.

  168 Mackay, II, 446.

  169 Maclagan, Clemency Canning, 212.

  170 NAM/1995-11-296(VPP-Part).

  171 Shadwell, II, 219.

  172 Campbell, G., Memoirs, I, 301.

  173 Maclagan, Clemency Canning, 212.

  174 NAM/1995-11-296(VPP-Part).

  175 London Gazette, 17 July 1858.

  176 Gordon-Alexander, 299.

  177 Forbes-Mitchell, 246.

  178 Gordon-Alexander, 297.

  179 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 124.

  180 Gordon-Alexander, 304, 307.

  181 Allgood, ‘Journal’, xxviii.

  182 Forbes-Mitchell, 256.

  183 Russell, My Diary in India, II, 8.

  184 Forbes-Mitchell, 257.

  185 Forbes-Mitchell, 254–5.

  186 Vibart, E., 194.

  187 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 146.

  188 Munro, 189; Gordon-Alexander, 312–15.

  189 Forbes-Mitchell, 254.

  190 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 139.

  191 Wolseley, Story of a Soldier’s Life, I, 364.

  192 London Gazette, 28 July 1858.

  193 Shadwell, II, 305.

  194 Verner, I, 191.

  195 Allgood, ‘Journal’, xxx.

  196 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 153.

  197 Shadwell, II, 234.

  198 Seaton, T., II, 288.

  199 Rizvi and Bhargava, II, 430.

  200 Shadwell, II, 274.

  201 Rizvi and Bhargava, II, 454.

  202 Stent, 205.

  203 Robson, 93.

  204 NAM/1995-11-296(VPP-Part).

  205 Shadwell, II, 249.

  206 Russell, My Indian Mutiny Diary, 162.

  207 RA/VIC/ADDE/1/1056.

  208 NAM/1995-11-296(VPP-Part).